Small Animal Recumbent patient care & Emergency critical care

Small Animal Recumbent Patient Care and Emergency Critical Care Name Institution Course Name Instructor Due Date Small Animal Recumbent Patient Care and Emergency Critical Care In the field of veterinary medicine, recumbency is a term that is used to refer to the act of “lying down.” A recumbent animal is an animal that cannot rise under any circumstance unless it is only turned (Bagardi et al., 2023). If the animal is turned, it may stay in the same position for another lengthy time unless it is turned again. Usually, animals become relegated for several reasons. However, the most common reasons for recumbency are anesthesia-induced paralysis or other medical conditions. In either case, the animal should receive attentive care to enhance its well-being. Prolonged recumbency in animals poses significant health complications, including cardiovascular challenges. Hence, the role of the veterinarian involves having a clear grasp of the physiological changes and possible complications that can occur with such a condition. This does not mean that short-term recumbency does not pose significant challenges to the animal. Short-term recumbency. Research has shown that short-term recumbency also increases the likelihood of causing muscle atrophy, peripheral edema, pressure sores, and nerve damage to the animal. As a result, there must be a plan that should necessitate tailored care to optimize patient outcomes. This paper, therefore, explores the care requirements for recumbent patients within the hospital setting and provides important information on how pet owners can provide care to their patients at home. Even though performing care at home may be challenging, it is important to understand that it is essential to transition from clinical care to home care to ensure continuity of care and enhance the overall quality of life for the patients. Besides, the essay will discuss essential emergency conditions likely to be found in small animals, such as hypotensive shock and respiratory distress. These symptomatic signs lead to a critical realization of the urgency at hand for veterinarians to be able to intervene appropriately. Most Common Form of Trauma in Our Clinic We encounter blunt force trauma most frequently as the prevalent type of trauma among all the trauma cases that we come across in our medical clinic. The blunt force traumatic injuries are caused when animals get hurt by a blunt object or surface (Ressel et al., 2016). This type of trauma can result in tissue or bone fractures and internal organ injuries, as the case may be. Apart from clinical signs that are related to this kind of trauma are also evident. Moreover, they can be subject to variation as a result of the degree and position of the injuries. Those external manifestations, such as bruises and lacerations, are commonly seen in the affected patients, while the swelling, which generally occurs in the bony areas or the areas of impact, can be seen as well. Moreover, the affected animals typically have lameness, stiff walking, or an unusual gait as a result of musculoskeletal injuries like bone breaks or tissue trauma. At the internal level, blunt force trauma can lead to pulmonary contusions, abdominal injuries, and head injuries. As well such disorders can be caused by other trauma conditions. For example, experiments revealed that the direct impact of the body on the lungs could trigger breathing problems in animals (Walsh et al., 2017). It causes them to have a cough, cyanosis, and severe abdominal pain, as well as liver lacerations and splenic rupture. Head trauma usually manifests through altered mentation, seizures, or neurological deficits, which indicate that the patient has had severe brain injuries, which, if not followed carefully, may cause intracranial hemorrhage. Therefore, the veterinarian must identify the care requirements that apply to hospitalized patients undergoing home care. In addition to that, the vet doctor must monitor the signs of hypovolemic shock, such as tachycardia, hypotension, and pale mucous membranes, which are essential in assessing the hemodynamic status of animals affected by blunt force trauma (Balakrishnan, 2020). The most common type of poisoning at our clinic is antifreeze poisoning, mainly in colder areas where antifreeze is used everywhere in cars. Ethylene glycol, or the main chemical used for antifreeze consumption by pets, is not only dangerous but can trigger life-threatening symptoms if not given the right treatment immediately (Myers, 2022). The symptoms of antifreeze poisoning may be different depending on the amount of antifreeze consumed and the time passed after the person has been exposed. Once the animals are ingested with poison, they might start having a gastrointestinal upset, including vomiting, diarrhea, and bellyache, within about an half-an-hour. However, the owners of pets may tend to disregard the disease as the gastrointestinal symptoms may not always be present, should be there, or mild. Ethylene glycol passes into the bloodstream and is then metabolized by the liver, which forms toxic metabolites affecting the central nervous system and kidneys (Garg & Ketha, 2020). In neurological conditions, the most common signs, such as depression, drowsiness, leg weakness, seizures, and disorientation, may show up. These adverse events can develop so rapidly, which may result in coma and death unless they are treated promptly. Animals that are affected in this way are likely to manifest symptoms like polyuria (the excess of urination), polydipsia (an increase in thirst), and dehydration due to the malfunction of the kidneys and their inability to maintain water balance. At advanced stages, the patient may either develop oliguria (urine output lower than normal) or anuria (no urine production at all), along with various symptoms of uremia like foul-smelling breath or oral ulcers and vomiting. In the absence of immediate care, acute kidney failure may develop in a few days, which might cause permanent renal failure and death. Prompt identification of the clinical signs accompanying antifreeze poisoning is important in establishing immediate treatment and improving prognosis. Although it is one of the most difficult types of cases to diagnose, veterinarians must have a high index of suspicion, especially during the winter when antifreeze is frequently used. Vet doctors should also inform pet owners about the risk of accidental exposure. With prompt administration of antidotes like ethanol or fomepizole along with supportive care, including intravenous fluids and re-hydration, we can limit the toxicity of ethylene glycol and prevent permanent organ damage. Moreover, early referral to a veterinary facility that can adopt advanced care regimes, including close monitoring, maybe the only solution for patients who require intensive care. Shock, Hypovolemic Shock, Respiratory Distress, and Recumbent Patients Shock is one of the indicators that vet doctors look for in recumbent animals. Shock can be defined as the inadequate production of cellular energy or the reduced use of oxygen, which directly causes a decreased flow of blood in traumatized patients, and if not managed, it can lead to the death of the patient. There are three major categories of shock: circulatory shock (divided into cardiogenic shock, hypovolemic shock, and distributive shock), metabolic shock, and hypoxic shock (which has already been lightly mentioned) (Agraham, 2022). Of the three types of shock that the recumbent patient may suffer from, hypovolemic shock is the most common. It occurs when there is a decreased volume of blood in the body of the patient as a result of hemorrhage, dehydration, or third-space fluid distribution (Agraham, 2022). The loss of blood is usually caused by bleeding from an external or internal wound. Hypovolemic shock has been one of the major causes of trauma in patients, and sometimes, it may result in a hemoperitoneum. In general, there are early stages of shock and the late stages of shock, and the following table has been used to summarize these stages, including the physical examinations. Table SEQ Table \* ARABIC 1: Clinical Signs of Shock at Various Stages (Agraham, 2022) Findings of the physical examination Compensatory shock Early decompensatory shock Late decompensatory shock Heart rate Usually, it is more than 240 bpm, which is evidence of severe tachycardia. Sometimes, the heart rate may be in a range of 160-180 bpm, which is evidence of mild bradycardia. In this stage, the heart rate of the patients will be less than 200 bpm, which is evidence of moderate tachycardia. Sometimes, the heart rate can be between the range of 120-140, showing evidence of bradycardia. Mild tachycardia will be shown when the heart rate is over 180 bpm, and there will be evidence of severe bradycardia when the heart rate is below 120 bpm. Temperature In this stage, the temperatures will be at a normal range of less than 97°F The temperatures will be below 95°F to show evidence of slight to moderate hypothermia. The temperature will be below 90°F to show evidence of moderate to marked hypother...